Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-01-13
MAKING KID GLOVES.

She stood in front of the glove count
er IN one OF the large uptown stores
ana stretched out dainty hand, that
seemingly could strike only loye.tap,
and wanted to be fitted with a pair of
gloves. H-was hard. work to suit her,
out she went away at last satisfied that
she had the highest-priced kid glove in
the store. But she was woefully mis-
taken. What she had bought was much
nearer sheep. skin than goat skin. g
People accspfthe statement that every
glove is kid that bears that name, while,
IN fact, only small percentage of the
gloves sold as such are the genuine kid.
The reason is plain. Millions of kid
gloves are demanded by the inhabitants
OF every large country. while only
Few goats, comparatively, are
raised in the world, and or these
large number must be kept until
full-grown for breeding purposes. The
demand for gloves is much greater than
the supply OF genuine skins, and a sub
stltute is found in the lambskin, which
makes an excellent grade of grove and
is easily palmed off for kid. Genuine
KID gloves can be obtained at a high
price, but thousands of people who
think they are wearing kid have only
the skin of the innocent lamb.
vi late years several kid-gloye facto-
rles have been started in this neighbour
hood. and the manufacture of gloves
has been carried on in a small way.
There has been no attempt 10 compete
with the French glove makers, who cas-
1ly lead the world, but fair grade of
glove has been turned out, selling well
and comparing favorably with import
ed goods. In all the branches of glove
makn here a high degree of skill is
required and the workmen here gener-
ally learn Their trade in Europe.
The lambskins, being selected with
great care, are taken to the factory and
put in large tanks, partly filed with the
yolk OF eggs and other soft, sticky ma
terlals. Here they are subjected to
thorough pounding with heavy stick,
padded so as not to niurc the skins. In
some factor es men with bare feet tread
on them. The object of all this is TO
'nourish" the skin and make it strong
and healthy" The SIX MS are kept in
these tanks for longer or shorter pc
Rod, according to the judgment cf the
super ntendent If allowed 10 rema n
too long, they become too well nour-
ished and decay. After the nourishing
comes the work of cleaning. The skins
are worked in tubs of fresh water and
washed thoroughly until all ira cs of
foreign substance are removed from the
outside. They now become soft and in 1
color dull white. They are laid on
smooth stone slab with the rough side
down and pressed and stretched until
every wrinkle has been smoothed out
The skins being wet remain in this
stretched state and are then dyed. The
dye is laid on with brush, and the
shade is always darker than the one de-
sired, for the dripping and after treat
ment tighten ii 1t least one-quarter.
The greatest care is taken to prevent
any spots of dye from getting on the in
side of the skin, a spot being a ser GUS
defect in a high-priced glove After the
skins have been allowed to drip for sew
eral hours they are taken to the drying
room, the air of which is kept at high
temperature, usually by steam heat. 1t
does not take long for the skins to dry
out hard, stiff and rough. Before they
can be used they are made soft and
pliable again by lyhpg for several days
in damp saw-dust. Then they are
placed on a machine workcdby screw,
and by continuous and gentle press
ure stretched to the, utmost. If there
are any holes, rough spots or cracks in
the skin. it is thrown away, or should
be. Not all of the glove-makers are
honest and the blemishes are often COW
cred up. This accounts for the sudden
giving-out of many gloves.
The delicate part of glove. making is
the cutting, rs the least variation in the
lines will DESTROY the symmetry of the
glove and make the fit imperfect. To
get the parts to itpas well as possible,
patterns are used for each size: but even
with these mistakes are often made In
tirst-class factories where the skin iSnot
properly cut it is thrown away or cut
up into gussets. Every skin is studied
by the cutter, so as to make the great
est number of gloves from it with the
least waste, and it is so graded that the
largest sizes are first marked out, and
the rest is used for children's gloves.
Modern invention has enabled the cut
ter, when. blocking out the glove, to
make little holes in the skin for stitches.
This insures perfect regularity and uni
formity of stitching, which arc of great
Importance. If the stitch is too tight an
uneven pressure is put on The skin, which
makes it break easily, and if too loose,
it leaves bag in the glove. Linen and
silk thread are used, and the stitching is
done by women who are fairly we'll paid.
When the gloves are made, they are
thoroughly inspected and, if accepted,
are tied in bundles ready for the mar
ket.
Why French gloves should take the
lead is hard to tell. The same materials
are used as in other countries and the
workmen are not over expert; but the
French glove excels in elasticity and
"gives" when pressure is put on it by
the hand, without getting out of shape.
This country takes the lead in dogskin,
buckskin and doeskin gloves. These
names are misleading, since all the |
gloves are made of sheepskin. There
is money in the business as well as hum
bug. and capital invested in we'll
managed factory will bring large re-
turn.-M T. Tribune.
Indians Becomipr Civilized.